A MOTORIST who caused traffic chaos after crashing his car into a gas main, closing a busy road for three hours, pleaded guilty to drink driving yesterday.

The accident on the A27 at Titchfield near Fareham led to the evacuation of nearby residents amid fears of a possible gas explosion due to the ruptured mains pipe.

Alastair Penn was banned from driving for 16 months and fined £150 after he admitted to a charge drink-driving at Fareham Magistrates' Court.

In the early hours of Sunday, Penn, of Rowley Drive, Botley, drove home from a friend's house after spending the evening in Fareham centre.

While travelling westbound along the A27, the 20-year-old lost control of his car and collided with the brick built substation at the junction with Ranvilles Lane at around 5.20am.

Penn was unhurt in the crash and after smelling smoke, immediately got out of the car and passed out on the ground.

He was arrested at the scene after he was breathalysed by police which showed him to be over the drink-drive limit.

The A27 was shut for three hours while gas engineers carried out emergency repairs and two houses next to the scene were evacuated and residents put up in a hotel.

Prosecutor Nicholas Allison said: "The result of this crash caused rather large disruption to the area. The whole area was closed and all the connecting roads.

"A large number of additional police and emergency services were called to the scene due to the risk of a gas explosion."

Speaking about his actions that night Penn said: "This is one of the biggest mistakes of my life to get into a car while under the influence of alcohol.

"I have never desired to do it before and it was clearly a dangerous and stupid thing to do.

"I am completely ashamed of what I have done and don't really know why I got into the car.

"Thankfully no one else was in the car and I am seriously thankful that no one else was involved in the crash.

"That would have been awful."